RESULT!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!!!!!

[glosterwomble]

FANTASTIC news!!!  ;D ;D ;D I agree with everyone else, SIGN THE PETITION and fingers crossed that this becomes a TOTAL ban not just a temporary one.

[glosterwomble]

[ceres]

Sorry, I just need to correct something here.  The statement from the PSD does not discuss a TEMPORARY withdrawal or define a time limit on the withdrawal.  Here is the text again:

"Dow have now indicated that they are withdrawing products which contain aminopyralid from sale and PSD is formally suspending their authorisations whilst we investigate the options for preventing a recurrence of this problem.  A key issue in our consideration will be whether the conditions of use regarding manure are sufficient, or sufficiently well known."

[telboy]

Very well done ceres and to all those who have assisted in any way!!!!!!!!

Without wishing to put a damper on anything, Dow aren't angels.
Remember Bhopal? Dow bought out Union Carbide & have done NOTHING to rid the plant & areas surrounding of hundreds of tons of stored toxic waste.

Wasn't me Sir!

[Suzanne]

I think I have more faith in the PSD after this - they have worked very quickly in civil service terms to withdraw their authorisations. Although the level of scrutiny new products are given prior to granting authorisations in the first place may still be up for question.

I would have thought that to regain permits to use products like this in the UK again, DOW are going to have to provide an awful lot of data to show the product isn't damaging and this will also have to include environmental data (after all what happens to run off from manure heaps and silage clamps?), and also food safety data. I am guessing the level of persistance wasn't anticipated.

[Mr Smith]

Cere's well done,
                          But if this is the case why have the farming industry not done something about this  in the past surely if they are manuring their land and their animals have eaten comtaminated siledge will this have not shown in their crop yields :)

[ceres]

Thanks Mr Smith.

It's the farmers who use these products so they have access to the warnings on the label.  For them it's a good product, they don't have to spray as frequently so presumably it's cheaper and probably more effective too.

Having said that, this article from Farmers' Weekly Nov 2007 shows that potato growers were being caught out during the 2007 growing season.   

http://www.fwi.co.uk/Articles/2007/11/30/108626/damage-to-potato-crops-caused-by-manure-or-slurry.html

Just a pity no-one got on top of it earlier.

[Mr Smith]

Ceres
           in recent years I have noticed my boobs getting bigger so what is that all about, I' ;)M A MAN

[Suzanne]

Mr Smith I believe that yur own problem may lay elsewhere and be totally unrelated to hormone weedkiller. nuf said!

[peneller]

Our allotment site in Leeds has been badly affected and it's great that DOW have had to withdraw this product. My hubbie and I have both signed the petition and we are also writing to our MP. We must keep up the pressure

[ceres]

Sorry to hear you've been affected too.  If you can report it to Dow and the Pesticides Safety Directorate and ask others on your site to do so too, that will help.

information@psd.hse.gsi.gov.uk

ukhotline@dow.com.

[cornykev]

Jolly good show Ceres, signed.  ;D ;D ;D

[green sleeves]

Ok we know what the cause  of this is but do any of you  know if it is safe to eat the produce from these plants and if so is DEFRA and  the other main boidies suporting this.

[ceres]

The initial advice was that although the risk to human health was believed to be low, it was probably best not to eat any produce grown in contaminated manure.

On 11 July, the Pesticides Safety Directorate (the part of DEFRA that deals with these things) issued an update saying:

"PSD has now assessed additional information from the manufacturer that confirms that using manure, which may contain residues of aminopyralid, does not have implications for human health.

Based on reasonable worst case assumptions: that cattle are only fed grass, or silage made from grass, treated with aminopyralid; that vegetables are grown in soil mixed with manure produced from the animals; and that all the aminopyralid released from the manure is taken up into the plants; the highest residues would not be a concern for health, so vegetables should be safe to eat.

The manufacturer also provided some information on studies of residues in treated food crops which indicates that actual residues will be much lower than estimated, which gives additional reassurance.

The substance is an effective herbicide/weedkiller, but of low toxicity to mammals. The problem has arisen in part because the substance can persist in grass, hay or silage, and passes through the mammalian digestive system largely unaffected, rather than being broken down."

http://www.pesticides.gov.uk/garden.asp?id=2480

Sorry, but I don't really understand what you mean when you ask are the bodies supporting this?  DEFRA has agreed to Dow's request to withdraw the products and suspend the licenses.  Is that what you mean?   

[green sleeves]

I ment that  there are other  bodies  eg: RHS who have more clout  than us.  If  what you say is that DEFRA are withdrawing the licenec this is a good thing.

[ceres]

I ment that  there are other  bodies  eg: RHS who have more clout  than us. 

Darn!  Wish I'd known that before.  Could have left it to the big hitters and saved myself the time and effort.  Ah well, I'll know better next time.

[green sleeves]

Your time and efort are not wasted but was looking for some  backing from the big boys. Ok I see what the PSD were saying and thats all I wanted to know

[Gail-M]

Hi everyone,

I have read through the whole thread but not sure if / how I can find out for sure if my manure is contaminated or not.

All my raspberries have died but I don't know if its due to this or a disease like raspberry root rot ( as I don't know what to look for ) the leaves started to die off then the canes and it moved right along the rows.

Some of my potato plants haven't grown very well, low,slightly yellow foliage but tubers seem ok.

is there any way /organisation who can test our soil, damaged plants to confirm if the contaminated manure is the problem ?

regards Gail

[ceres]

Hi Gail.  Sorry you've got poorly plants.

If your manure is contaminated, it produces very distinctive distorted foliage.  All plants will show the same distortion - cupped, spooned, fern-like growth.  If your plants don't have the distorted foliage, it's likely you need to find another cause for the problems.  The RHS has advised that testing isn't conclusive - the amounts of herbicide residue are so miniscule, they may not show up in tests, which are hideously expensive.  You can take photographs (detailed as possible obviously) and send them to the RHS Advisory Service and they'll give you an opinion by post or email.  If you're a member, you can take plant samples to Wisley and they'll also advise you.

gardeningadvice@rhs.org.uk

Here are a couple of pics - sorry I don't have one yet for rasps:

[attachment=1]

[attachment=2]